____________ is the phenomena that resist the movement of the two surf...
Friction is the phenomenon that resists the movement of two surfaces in contact. It is also responsible for the conservative nature of the force.
Definition of Friction
Friction is the force that opposes the relative motion or tendency of motion between two surfaces in contact. It occurs when there is an attempt to slide one surface over the other or when there is a tendency for the two surfaces to move relative to each other.
Causes of Friction
Friction is caused by the irregularities or roughness present on the surfaces in contact. Even seemingly smooth surfaces have microscopic irregularities that interlock when they come in contact, resulting in frictional resistance.
Types of Friction
There are several types of friction that can occur, including:
1.
Static Friction: This is the frictional force that opposes the initial motion between two surfaces that are at rest relative to each other. It is generally greater than the kinetic friction.
2.
Kinetic Friction: This is the frictional force that opposes the relative motion between two surfaces that are already in motion relative to each other. It is generally smaller than the static friction.
3.
Rolling Friction: This is the frictional force that occurs when an object rolls over a surface. It is typically smaller than both static and kinetic friction.
Conservative Nature of Friction
Friction is considered a conservative force because it does not depend on the path taken but only on the initial and final positions of the objects in contact. This means that the work done by friction is independent of the path taken by the objects and only depends on their initial and final positions.
Friction can convert mechanical energy into heat energy as work is done against the resistance offered by the frictional force. However, the total mechanical energy of the system (including potential and kinetic energy) remains conserved.
Conclusion
Friction is a phenomenon that resists the movement of two surfaces in contact. It is caused by the irregularities on the surfaces and can be of different types. Friction is a conservative force as it does not depend on the path taken but only on the initial and final positions of the objects.